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Be careful on relocating tigers: Valmik Thapar

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Kolkata:  Tiger expert Valmik Thapar has expressed concern on relocating the Royal Bengal tigers in the Sunderbans mangrove of West Bengal and “dumping” them elsewhere in the forest, a process, he said, traumatises the big cats.

“The problem in Sunderbans which needs to be addressed by wildlife scientists is that tigers get caught and then taken in boats in the forest department and dumped back in the forests. You should be very careful where you dump tigers,” Thapar said during a special audio-video (AV) presentation at the Kolkata Literary Meet here Monday.

“One of the biggest problems with relocating tigers and starting new populations is where you take the tiger from and where you send it,” he said.

The Sunderbans forest is the largest mangrove forest in the world and is home to the famed but elusive Royal Bengal tiger. It is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

It covers approximately 10,000 sq. km of which 60 percent is in Bangladesh, with the remaining in the Indian state of West Bengal.

Thapar was responding to questions by eager children on the fate of relocated tigers.

Answering with an example, Thapar said: “Like in Ranthambhore, the authorities took a big male tiger from Ranthambhore to Sariskaa when they took it, a big male tiger came in its place and killed all the cubs which the big male had had with all the other females, to father his own.”

“So when you take a tiger out of his clan, you lose ten cubs. You don’t take the big guy out. You take the one that is growing up and you have to do this with the help non-governmental experts because this wisdom is not vested normally in the bureaucracy,” said Thapar.

Through vibrant AVs of tigers in action in the wild, Thapar linked the animal’s origins with Indian history and also with the feminine form.

Thapar, who has authored many books, with thousands of pictures and several documentaries and films to his credit, was appointed a member of the Tiger Task Force in 2005.

Talking about the scenario in Bengal, Thapar, who established the Ranthambhore Foundation in 1987, said in Sunderbans, a lot of tigers have been “dumped from here to there”.

“I don’t know what will happen. Tigers also get traumatized. You have to be really careful. After all, they are the pride of Bengal,” he said.

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Dr. Abhishek Verma Dedicates a Shelter in Memory of His Mother, Veena Verma, at KGMU; Inaugurated by Daughter Nicolle Verma

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World-renowned business tycoon Dr. Abhishek Verma has supported Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission. In memory of his mother, Late Veena Verma, who was a 3 term Rajya Sabha MP.

Dr. Verma dedicated a state-of-the-art free permanent shelter for the attendants of patients at KGMU Medical University, Lucknow, under the aegis of Vijay Shree Foundation. His daughter, Nicolle Verma, inaugurated the shelter.

During the event, Foodman Vishal Singh honored Nicolle Verma by presenting her with a memento. Mrs. Nidhi Sharma and Avantika Yadav, associated with the organization, welcomed her with garlands. Following this, Nicolle Verma distributed essential items to the attendants and also handed out fruits. She became emotional remembering her grandmother on her birth anniversary.

On this occasion, she also inaugurated the “Veena Verma Sevalaya” in memory of her grandmother, Veena Verma, to serve the attendants. She expressed, “I feel proud that my family is engaged in nation-building as well as social service. Today, in collaboration with Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh Ji, I feel immensely proud to dedicate this shelter for the poor, helpless, and needy attendants of patients battling serious illnesses like cancer. I am honored to be associated with the Hunger-Free World Mission for humanity.”

Inspired by the continuous humanitarian service provided by Vijay Shree Foundation over the past 17 years, Nicolle Verma donated 10 lakh rupees to support the cause. The purpose of this donation is to ensure that services continue for the needy attendants of patients suffering from severe illnesses in hospitals, as facilitated by Foodman Vishal Singh.

It is noteworthy that Dr. Abhishek Verma’s family has a legacy of public and philanthropic service. They are helping millions to carry forward the values and service work of their parents. On the occasion of his mother’s birth anniversary, Dr. Abhishek Verma dedicated this state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College to serve the attendants of patients through the Vijay Shree Foundation.

Supporting Foodman Vishal Singh’s Hunger-Free World mission, Dr. Abhishek Verma assured that he would continually support keeping this flame of humanity alive. He also promised to assist in providing medicines to the helpless patients.

Continuing her grandmother’s legacy of service, Nicolle Verma personally served food to the needy patients and attendants. She said, “It is our good fortune to have received the joy of doing this noble work today through Foodman Vishal Singh. I have taken another step forward in carrying my family’s values and cooperation by joining hands with the Vijay Shree Foundation. My father taught me to serve and help the needy, and I feel happy when I bring a smile to someone’s face.”

On the birth anniversary of the late Veena Verma, the event organizer, Vijay Shree Foundation founder Foodman Vishal Singh, said, “We feel proud and happy that Dr. Abhishek Verma, a globally renowned business tycoon, has extended his support to uplift our country from the hunger index. Today, on his mother’s birth anniversary, he inaugurated a state-of-the-art permanent shelter at Lucknow Medical College, which will always be helpful for the needy attendants of patients. It is a pleasure for me and the organization to receive the affection of Mr. Verma.”

The event was attended by General Manager Verma Family Office Hemant Garg, Sonu Rajput, and the organization’s volunteers, including Sandeep Singh, Parmeshwar Ji, Prashant Rao Gautam, Balram Singh, Ramesh Chaudhary, Suman, Jeetu, Anil, Suraj, Vinay, Manish Bhadauria, Manas Mehrotra, Vivek, Apurv, Happy, and others.

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